Track List

Pure Jerry 9 - The Jerry Garcia vault series 

Jerry Garcia Band: Bay Area 1978 is the fourth release that features Keith and Donna Godchaux in the line-up; two from 1977 and two from 1978. Some minor personnel differences, Ron Tutt plays drums on the two from 1977 and Buzz Buchanan on the two from 1978. Also, Maria Muldaur handles some vocal duties on the 1978 releases. 

The material from Jerry Garcia Band: Bay Area 1978 is derived  from four performances during 1978. This edition of Pure Jerry is billed as the useable and releasable portions of the shows, and also, a way to celebrate Jerry's 67th birthday for fans, as the release date coincides with it.

The disc begins with "Mystery Train" Keith's rhythmic chops and fills behind Garcia's first solo yields a delightful musical conversation. Keith's has an impressive solo that follows Garcia, and more by Jerry. This fast pace disc opener is a great beginning. These guys are in unison. I know you're tempted to play it again, but did you glace at the upcoming tracks? A dilemma for sure.

Next, "Catfish John" is superb. Besides Keith and Jerry, the background vocals enhance the song. After another brilliant instrumental interchange, check out John Kahn's bass contribution as they head into the verse. Then when Jerry sings chestnut mare, it brings fond memories of The Byrds classic song by that name. 

The first two songs were taken from 2/18/78, Veterans Memorial Auditorium, and the next three 2/19/78, Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium. A great Motown cover, "Second That Emotion," which is stretched out, followed by the Garcia original "Mission in the Rain." The latter, one of my favorite Garcia compositions. A solid version indeed, most are with this line-up. 

From this venue, the set closer is a near thirty minute version of "Don't Let Go." The musical conversation is delightful. While most of the JGB songs tend to not be rushed, with this one, both Keith and Jerry know they can express themselves at will during this number, which they do. After the bass solo, they venture from their common melodic jamming to a space journey. The conclusion may be the best part of the song with Jerry matching his vocals with guitar lines and Donna and Maria countering, "Hold me tight and don't let go." 

The second disc includes music from all four of the featured venues. It also is a better exhibition of the female vocalist than the first disc. A fast number starts and it is rocking, "Tore Up Over You." Jerry's seems fired up vocally, and the dual female back-up singers complement him so well. Then some kick-butt rock 'n roll. 

The Dylan cover, "Simple Twist of Fate" has the dynamics that close the song that often decides the renditions success or mediocrity. This one while not definite succeeds. The Motown track, "The Way You Do The Things You Do"; listen to how they close the jam that leads into the closing verse. Tight.

The Wings cover "Let Me Roll It" is a very, very good listen, the second live release of this rarity, arguably a release highlight. Two shorter songs emphasize vocals. Especially on "I'll Be With Thee." On this one Jerry gets involved and trades vocal lines sweetly with Donna and Maria. Certainly one of the trademark songs when Maria Muldaur was touring in the Jerry Garcia Band.

Beside "Don't Let Go" the Jerry Garcia Band stretched out with a Bonnie Bramlett cover "Lonesome and a Long Way From Home." This song allows Donna and Maria to get into the action a bit before the instrumental onslaught. The closing portion of the instrumental of the 23:55 musical passage is quite impressive. 

The music contained on this disc is so good and then some. Since the release is new and fresh, it a good starting point 
in the JGB solo releases that feature Keith and Donna, but not the final word. There are three other archive releases that we 
recommend in addition to this one. Your life will be more fulfilled with them. Caveat: The piano and guitar is one of my favorite musical combinations so others may not be quite as favorable.  

Jerry Garcia Band: Bay Area 1978 is a great compilation put together expertly. The song selection and sequence is quite nice with each disc ending with a "jam song." While some of the other Keith and Donna releases include some fast forward songs, on this release they are all keepers. That is an advantage of compilations.  

Jerry Garcia Band: Bay Area 1978 is one enjoyable 2:30 melodic journey. 

by Barry Small©
Grade  A

P.S. The Jerry Garcia often played Reggae covers and this release is void of them. Let's celebrate that "Knocking on Heaven's Door" didn't make the cut. 

Cover song recommendations

Order:  Dead.net

More release details from the Grateful Dead website.

DISC ONE
1. Mystery Train (2/18/78, Veterans Memorial Auditorium)
2. Catfish John (2/18/78, Veterans Memorial Auditorium)
3. I Second That Emotion (2/19/78, Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium)
4. Mission In The Rain (2/19/78, Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium)
5. Don't Let Go (2/19/78, Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium)

DISC TWO
1. Tore Up Over You (6/10/78, Keystone Berkeley)
2. Simple Twist Of Fate (2/19/78, Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium)
3. The Way You Do The Things You Do (2/19/78, Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium)
4. Let Me Roll It (6/18/78, Keystone Palo Alto)
5. Gomorrah (6/18/78, Keystone Palo Alto)
6. I'll Be With Thee (6/18/78, Keystone Palo Alto)
7. Lonesome And A Long Way From Home (2/18/78, Veterans Memorial Auditorium)

Jerry Garcia Band personnel

* Jerry Garcia - guitar, vocals
* Keith Godchaux - piano, vocals
* John Kahn - bass
* Buzz Buchanan - drums
* Donna Jean Godchaux - vocals
* Maria Muldaur - vocals 

Released  August 2009 
Compilation producer by David Lemieux
Mastering - Joe Gastwirt

Set lists from:
thejerrysite.com 

Feb 18, 1978 
Veterans Memorial Auditorium, San Rafael, CA 

- Set 1 -
How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)
Catfish John
That's What Love Will Make You Do
Knockin' On Heaven's Door
Mystery Train

- Set 2 -
Midnight Moonlight
Love In The Afternoon
Tore Up Over You
I'll Take A Melody
Lonesome And A Long Way From Home 

Feb 19, 1978 
Civic Auditorium, Santa Cruz, CA

- Set 1 -
I Second That Emotion
Simple Twist Of Fate
Harder They Come
Mission In The Rain
Midnight Moonlight

- Set 2 -
Gomorrah
The Way You Do The Things You Do
Russian Lullaby
Mystery Train
Don't Let Go 

6/10/78, Keystone Berkeley

From the Grateful Dead Website
This release, the ninth in the Pure Jerry series, delivers a front row ticket to 4 unforgettable shows with the Jerry Garcia Band in 1978. The 2-disc compilation features amazing performances from Marin Vets, Santa Cruz Civic, Keystone Berkeley and Keystone Palo Alto. 

Jerry is joined on the road with John Kahn on bass, Buzz Buchanan on drums, Keith Godchaux on piano, Donna Godchaux and Maria Muldaur on vocals. The tracklist stretches from Motown to McCartney, and it’s loaded with magical moments like the 20-minute odyssey of “Lonesome And A Long Way Home,” and a 30-minute “Don’t Let Go.” It’s vintage Jerry at his soulful best!

Let Me Roll It to You…

Just in time to celebrate Jerry’s 67th birthday (August 1, of course) comes a new installment in the Pure Jerry series, this one an especially hot selection from 1978. This was a particularly exciting period for the Jerry Garcia Band, which at that time included his perennial bass buddy John Kahn (of course), Buzz Buchanan on drums (who’d played with Jerry since the fall of ’77), his partners in the Dead, Keith Godchaux on piano and Donna Godchaux on vocals, and, at many shows that year, second singer Maria Muldaur, who blended so nicely with Donna.

We’ve drawn together the listenable/usable/releasable parts of four Northern California shows from the first half of ’78 to create this stellar compilation. Much of the material was culled from consecutive shows in February of 1978, shortly after Jerry, Keith and Donna had returned from fine, high-energy Midwest tour by the Dead (documented wonderfully on Dick Picks Vol. 18). Songs from the 2/18/78 JGB show at the 2,000-seat Marin County Veteran’s Auditorium include a barn-burning “Mystery Train,” the loping “Catfish John,” and, best of all, a spectacular “Lonesome and a Long Way Home” that ambles through all sorts of fascinating moods and spaces over the course of more than 20 minutes. The next night, the JGB landed at the Santa Cruz Civic—a similar-sized venue—and this time the fans (and now, you!) were treated to such tunes as the Motown classics “Second That Emotion” and “The Way You Do the Things You Do” (a great version!), “Mission in the Rain,” Dylan’s “Simple Twist of Fate,” and, the piece de resistance, a 30-minute “Don’t Let Go” featuring generous solos all around and ultra-soulful guitar-and-vocals from Jerry on the “Hold me tight and don’t let go…” passage towards the end. Wild!

Rounding out this exceptional package are four tunes from June 1978: The 6/10 show at the tiny Keystone Berkeley gives us the bouncy, rockin’ “Tore Up Over You” that opens Disc Two; then, after a couple more tunes, we move to 6/18 at the Keystone Palo Alto—a favorite JGB haunt for many years—for what is arguably the greatest version of Paul McCartney’s “Let Me Roll It” that the group ever played (and there weren’t many), and then superb versions of the still-new “Gomorrah” and the gospel tune “I’ll Be With Thee”—the latter always a fine showcase for Donna and Maria.

If you loved the ’78 Pure Jerry from the Warner Theatre (3/18/78), this one should be right up your alley, too—it’s definitely primo JG! You can see the full track listing, and order your copy here!
—Blair Jackson 

Order:  Dead.net